Local USPSA Matches Using Online Payment

[S8MS-01904]

Probably a no from me, it allows flexibility for me on the weather and family changes that pop up.

 

[longbeard]

If you have a mix of both, maybe. I don't know how much money I've donated to Parabellum matches due to unforeseen circumstances. Aron and now Trevor were always good about making it right the next time.

A big no from this luddite and I normally don't speak for my brother but I can 99.9% guarantee he won't either

I'm so surprised

 

[longbeard]

Thanks for the comments.

Now, who wants to step up and run registration and cash for the ACC match?!

 

[IsThatLegal?]

I am fine paying through practiscore for weekend matches. Its easy (and I am not apps/technology friendly). Weekday matches are different because of work and kids' schedules. I have missed many Carry matches at Parabellum because of last minute schedule changes.

 

[blkrifle]

I wasnt fond at first, but have found it does make matches easier to register for. Before if you didnt sign up by Wednesday, you were screwed. Match full. (and once Tuesday! WTF?!?!?!) And at 45 mins each way, It wasnt worth driving to get on standby in case somebody didnt show (not likely) Now* (*pre ammo panic reference since I havent shot a match since the fall) you can usually register up to the cutoff.

And I respect the club I shoot at enough that I dont mind donating to the cause if I cant make it at the last minute. They at least were aware enough to advertise the lack of refunds and thank those that couldnt make it for contributing to the "new clubhouse fund". While I would prefer my account to be credited for future matches, I can give grace and understand that credits would be counterproductive and unworkable since there is no mechanism in practiscore for that. (yet?) it not like the MDs are pocketing our forfeits.


I can think of worse things to get butthurt over.

refunds can be given thru practiscore, it just costs a fee to do it

 

[Grelber]

Match fee - $20.00 if you pay ahead or bring correct change to the match.
$25.00 if you do not pay ahead and do not have correct change.


That should fix it.

 

[Twangbanger]

refunds can be given thru practiscore, it just costs a fee to do it

I will also add to my above statement, that the ability to get a refund doesn't affect my opinion much. I donated $130(!) for a Section Match I couldn't attend once...it's not going to break me. I suspect refunds can be a PITA, for both club and shooter, and do not expect the match to offer that convenience for me. However, if there's a Thursday cutoff, and no walk-up cash (or check) payment, then I probably will just write it off and skip it. Donations don't bother me, but I'm not looking to maximize them, either.

Thanks for the comments.

Now, who wants to step up and run registration and cash for the ACC match?!

I thought that was a separate thread?

Match fee - $20.00 if you pay ahead or bring correct change to the match.
$25.00 if you do not pay ahead and do not have correct change.


That should fix it.

I don't think "correct change" is the issue. It's the accounting & bookkeeping, making sure everything works out right based on the number of entries, handling and depositing checks and cash in the club's bank account, etc. These still have to be done whether the person had correct change or not. I have been treasurer of a shooting club, and can well attest that handling cash is a significant drag, for whoever's job that is. I am assuming that using Practiscore for handling the money streamlines a lot of that. USPSA also gets their cut, and I'd be surprised if Practiscore isn't either working on, or already has, something to clear that headache, as well.

 

[Grelber]

I don't think "correct change" is the issue. It's the accounting & bookkeeping, making sure everything works out right based on the number of entries, handling and depositing checks and cash in the club's bank account, etc. These still have to be done whether the person had correct change or not.

Different places different concerns, I'm used to more of a "just take whatever we collected and put it in the bank" approach, but agree your way would avoid some potential issues.

 

[BJones]

Paying online is not only efficient for the shooter, it is also a huge time saver for the match director. One less thing to have to manage. If you have never managed a match, it is a HUGE job. They have addressed the refund policy, so I think it is a great idea. I pay for everything with a credit card and seldom carry cash over $20.
Shooting match fees as well as nearly everything else is going to prepayment with a credit card. IDPA uses this method and it seems to work great for shooters and match management.

 

[Cameramonkey]

refunds can be given thru practiscore, it just costs a fee to do it

And why should my club be penalized because I cant make it? Its not their problem I had to cancel. So why should they pay $4* out of their pocket to the processor because I signed up and then had to cancel? They did nothing wrong.

But Practiscore implementing a credit system would solve that issue.
CM pays $20 for the April match. Funds move to the club account.
CM has to cancel and the funds move to CM's account.
May rolls around.
CM registers for the May match and applies his credit toward the match and is transferred back to the club account.
Problem solved.

Then again, PS probably doesnt want that headache either, so I really dont blame them.

*arbitrary number for the sake of argument

 

[Diesel24v]

I would rather have the option of online or in person. What happens if the match gets cancelled? I feel like its more of a pain to refund people than to have never taken their money to start with.

My personal real world opinion from the way I run our matches is that cash is not a burden at all. I would like to hear why others feel that it is a burden. The way I do things I haven't felt like it was an issue. I am more than willing to share how I do things if that would help as well. There are some nice spreadsheets that a couple guys at the club have made that I could probably get templates for you to use for registration as well.

 

[downrange72]

I'm so surprised

You asked. It is your match.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I would rather have the option of online or in person. What happens if the match gets cancelled? I feel like its more of a pain to refund people than to have never taken their money to start with.

My personal real world opinion from the way I run our matches is that cash is not a burden at all. I would like to hear why others feel that it is a burden. The way I do things I haven't felt like it was an issue. I am more than willing to share how I do things if that would help as well. There are some nice spreadsheets that a couple guys at the club have made that I could probably get templates for you to use for registration as well.

Easy. You get a refund and the club eats the processing charges.

And as to the burden, One less person behind the desk collecting $$ and giving change. Ive noticed registration is twice as fast now that I just have to step up and tell them my name.

 

[Grelber]

And as to the burden, One less person behind the desk collecting $$ and giving change. Ive noticed registration is twice as fast now that I just have to step up and tell them my name.

Dang, have you got Joe Biden making change?

 

[cedartop]

Wouldn't bother me at all. I always pay online when registering given the option.

 

[Trapper Jim]

No problem to paying online. Anything we can do to help the hard working volunteers who bring us the event and to the club that hosts it. If you have to cancel, feel good that your money went to a good cause for the shooting fraternity. If you can’t or won’t help the MD, then your cancelled entry is a way to give back. However, paying online helps you to have some skin in the game. Just some personal thoughts on the matter. Ask not what your MD can do for you....but what can you do for the MD.

 

[2-Alpha]

If I’m committing to the match days ahead of time, I guess online payment is no issue. But I’ve made the go/no-go decision for most matches the morning of the match, and for weeknight matches like FNS sometimes just an hour or less before. So if the match doesn’t allow walk-up registration and payment at the door I likely won’t make it, unless I can be sure nothing will come up.

 

[Diesel24v]

Easy. You get a refund and the club eats the processing charges.

And as to the burden, One less person behind the desk collecting $$ and giving change. Ive noticed registration is twice as fast now that I just have to step up and tell them my name.

Yes but now the guy has more work to do if he has to issue a refund. I am sure it only takes a few seconds to issue the refund if needed but it also only takes a few seconds to collect cash.

I don't seem to have any trouble with it and I do it quite frequently by myself as the MD of our matches. To each his own I guess. When I don't have anyone to help me out I manage to get registration and the kindle work done. I can't imagine it is twice as fast as it takes only a few seconds to collect $20 and give change back if needed and mark down the persons name. I do understand that the cash thing doesn't stop there and there is a little more work to do to get the club the money but the way we do it is very efficient and only has me investing maybe 15 minutes a month to do it. Like I say I am not opposed to either way but I can say that some seem to make a bigger deal of it than it is.

All of this has me thinking maybe we could try it ourselves in the future taking cash or online payment and see how it goes and if it goes well, then maybe it's the way to go. If you guys do try this I would love to hear the pros and cons either way.

 

[riverman67]

If you have a mix of both, maybe. I don't know how much money I've donated to Parabellum matches due to unforeseen circumstances. Aron and now Trevor were always good about making it right the next time.

A big no from this luddite and I normally don't speak for my brother but I can 99.9% guarantee he won't either

Yeah. Nope
Not that I have time to go to matches
Or look at ingo anymore. If I have to pre pay I’ll probably stay home
If I’m able to come to the match I typically will get there early and help set up

 

[76caprice]

Nope on me as well. I mean why give out sensitive info just for 20.00. If I can’t remember to bring 20.00 the morning of a local match then I shouldn’t be shooting. My .02